Device for trimming cartridge-shells



(No Model.)

R. WHITE.

DEVICE POR TRIMMING CARTRIDGE SHELLS.

Patented Aug. 31, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROLLIN VHITE, OF LOVELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR TRIIVIMING CARTRIDGE-SHELLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.v 348,441, dated August31,1886.

Application filed December 2, 1R85. Serial No. 184,405. (No model.)

To all whom, it 77mg concern.-

Be it known that I, RoLLrN XVHITE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful ImprovementinPunches and Dies,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to punches and dies adapted for cutting andtrimming; and it consists in the means, hereinafter described, ofcutting off the ragged end of a metallic tube, and in means ofdetermining the length ofthe finished tube.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional elevationof the lower end of myimproved trimming-punch, the die, and a part ofthe die-rail; Fig. 2, a detached top view ofthe die shown in Fig. l,Fig. 3, a side elevation of the punch-socket and a part of the head iuwhich and the nuts by which the socket is secured, the lower part of thesocket and the lower nuts being broken away and the trinnning` punch anddie being in crosssection; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation of asplitting-punch and socket, a part of the head in which and the nuts bywhich it is secured, a die and a part of the die-holder, and thedierail, and in this figure the punch has its lower end tapered off andis provided with knives for splitting the shell before trimming. The dieshown in this figure is merely a dummydie, intended to show the relationof the splitting-punch to the shell, as in practice the shell remains inthe same die during the operation of splitting and trimming. Fig. 5 isan cnlarged view of the lower part of the punch shown in Fig. 4, showingthe beveled or tapered end ofthe outer cylinder and thesplitting-knives; Fig. 6, a bottom view of the splitting-punch shown inFigs. 4 and 5.

In the drawings, B represents a head or block, caused in practice tohave a reciprocating motion. In this head B is secured the socket p inany convenient manner. In the drawings it is represented as beingprovided at its ends with external screw-threads, which engage with nutsl and check-nuts Z2, above and below the head.

The trimming-punch proper consists of the outer cylinder, p, having onits lower end an annular groove, p3, concentric therewith, the object ofwhich groove is to admit the ragged upper end of the shell which hasbeen split by the splitting-punch.

rIhe splittingpunch is preferably of the form shown in Figs. 4, 5, and6, and consists of an outer part, p7, rigidly secured to the head of themachine, having its lower end tapered downward or beveled oft' at p",Figs. 4 and 5, and within this outertubeacylindrical rod, p, adapted tomove freely therein, and having its upper part reduced for a distancefrom its upper end to form a shoulder, p18.

. This reduced part is surrounded by a spiral spring, pm, which iscompressed between said shoulder and a shoulder, p, on the outercylinder. The springp10 tends to push the inner rod, p, downward and outof the tube I, but this tendency is limited by a pin, p1, driven througha perpendicular slot, p, in the tube pl, and into or through the rod p,or the rod p may be extended up through the tube PT and into a recess inthe socket, and be secured by nuts and lock-nuts, as shown and describedAin another specification filed simultaneously and bearing even dateherewith for an improvemcnt in punches and dies.77

The object ofthe central rod and the spiral spring` is to crowd theblank shell into the trimming-die D7 until the closed end of the blanktouches the bottom ol' the die, and to do this before the splitting ortrimming operation commences, thus gaging the length ofthe iinishedshell. The beveled part p of the splitting-punch is provided with two ormore radial knives, p, (four being shown in Figs. 6 and 7,) securedthereto and extending down some distance just far enough to clear the upper edge of the die when the punch is down. These knives have acutting-edge on the exposed sides, which split the upper or open end ofthe shell extending above the die, and the taper of the punch spreadsthe end so split outward. The die containing the shell is now moved inany convenient manner (either by sliding it or revolving the carrierwhich contains it, substantially as shown and described in anapplication for a patent for improvements in machines for makingcartridgeshells, filed by me January 2, 1885,) under the trimming-punchI.

The trimming-die D6 is provided with an annular groove, p5, on its uppersurface, about semieircular in cross-section close to the die- IOOopening, so that the edge of the die-opening is an annular knife, uponwhich the split upper end of the shell is trimmed, the die resting atthe time on the die-rail.

The trimming-punch (preferably, but not necessarily, provided with aninternal rod like the splitting-punch) descending upon the split andspread end of the shell forces the part above the die upon the annularknife p5, and thereby cuts it off as the desired length on a true line.

In trimming eyelets and similar articles having a flange at an angle tothe blank, the spreading and splitting may be dispensed with and thearticle be trimmed by the trimmingpunch only.

Both the trimming-punch and the splittingpunch may be used without theinternal rod, p, or the rod may be rigidly affixed in the outercylinder, thus making it equivalent to a downwardly-projecting teat; butI prefer to construct the punches as described, so that should the shellget started from or fail to reach the bottom of the die the inner rod,p, will force it to its place and retain it there before and during theoperation of splitting and trimming. The downward projection also actsas a guide for the outer cylinder. I also prefer to make thetrimming-punch of such form that when the part p1 is down and just incontact with the knife of the die the lower surface, p, outside theannular groove, will rest upon the die, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, thussaving the knife from injury should the punch be improperly adjusted.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of a die provided with anannular knife surrounding the die-opening, a punch having a conicallower end provided with splitting-knives, and a trimmingpunch,substantially as described.

2. The combination of a die provided with an annular knife surroundingthe die-opening, a splitting-punch provided with splittingknives, and atrimming-punch having an annular groove on its lower surface, as and forthe purpose specified.

8. The combination of a trimming-die provided with an annular knifesurrounding the die-opening, and a punch adapted to press the open endof a shell upon saidknife, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a trimming-punch having a groove in its lowersurface, and a trimming-die having a-knife surrounding the die-opening.

' 5. The combination of a die and a punch, said punch having a conicalenlargement above the cylindrical portion or downwardlyprojecting teat,as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of a die and a punch having radial conical-shapedknives and a cylindrical portion or teat projecting below said'knives,as and for the purpose specified.

. 7 The splitting-punch having its lower end tapered or beveled off andprovided with radial conical-shaped knives, as and for the purposespecified.

8. The combination of a trimming-punch having its lower surface extendedlaterally beyond the part which forms the anvil, and a trimming-diehaving a surface without the knife, upon which surface the extendedsurface of the punch may rest, as and for the purpose specified.

ROLLIN VHITE.

Vitnesses:

ALBERT M. MOORE, HERBERT R. VHITE.

